Clasp for curtains and the like



(No Model.)

B. L. PERRY.

CLASP FOR CURTAINS AND THE LIKE. 6 N6. 456,636. Patented July 28, 1891.

Wm lilboz 140,1

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD L. PERRY, 0F PATER NEW JERSEY:

CLASP FOR CURTAINS AND THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,636, dated July 28. 1891.

Applicationfiled January 21, 1891. $eria1No. 378,530. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. PERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paterson, 1n the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Holding Devices; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in what I term holders, and while the device hereinafter described and claimed is particularly designed for the purpose of holding the vestibule-curtains of passengercoaches on railways and is intended to prevent the destruction of the curtains when the cars are separated while the curtains are in position, yet I wish it distinctly understood that I do not intend to limit myself to such use, as it is applicable to many other uses and in various places and at times when self-unfastening is desirable. The device may be employed, for instance, to hold heavy coats and other articles which require considerable strength to lift from their supporting-hooks. Many uses will be found for my improved holder.

The novelty resides in the peculiarities of construction of the holder, as will be hereinafter more particularly described, shown in the drawings, and then specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the holder. Fig. 2 is a face view thereof with a portion in section and a part broken away. Fig. 3 is a face view showing it in the act of being removed from its supporting hook or nail. Fig. 4. is a perspective View of a slightly-modified form of spring separated from the holder.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views where they occur.

The device may be made of any suitable size and shape, and the material of which the spring is formed may be of any suitable size or kind of resilient material.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the preferable form of holder and spring.

Referring to said drawings, A designates the body of the holder of elastic material, such as india-rubber, the outer or acting end of which is preferably, though not necessarily, rounded, as shown at a. At a suitable dis tance from said end I form ahole Z) of the re quired size and provided with a slit or aperture c, communicating with said hole, as seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

B is a spring of any suitable material and shape, embedded in the body A, as seen in Fig. 1, the ends of the spring, which is preferably of wire, being bent into loops or eyes (Z, as seen in Figs. 2 and 4., the free ends of the wire being preferably arranged one upon each side of the hole in the body A, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to give the greatest resiliency at this point. The parallel portions of the spring extend lengthwise through the body A, and are united by the cross-bar e, integral therewith and which is arranged a suflicient distance from the end of the said body A to form a loop ffor the reception of one end of a strap, cord, or other provision O, which is designed to be attached to the article or device to be held by the holder; or the cross-bar of the spring might be attached directly to the said article or device to be held, if preferred, depending upon the nature of the thing to be held.

The operation will be readily understood from the above description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings. Supposing, for instance, that the holder or several of them be employed for holding the curtains between coaches on a vestibule-train, and when the train arrives at a station and the passengers are all out and the train is to be broken up and the cars separated, the porter, or whoever may be assigned to such duty, forgets to unfasten the curtains and the one car is started while the other remains stationary. If the curtains were held by some permanent fastenings they would be torn to pieces by the separation of the cars; but by my invention when strain is put upon the holder it will open, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and allow the curtain to free itself from the button, hook, or nail upon which it may be fastened without injury to the ourtain. The holder may be engaged with a hook, nail, or other support, either by springing open the split end or by engaging the hole in the body A over the hook, nail, or other support, in a manner which will be readily understood. The rubber acts as afastener and also asa spring, and it protects the wire and also the device with which the holder maybe engaged, as it prevents contact of the wire therewith.

Various modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages-for instance, the ends of the spring may be formed into various shapes. A modified form is illustrated in Fig. 4.

\Vhat I claim as new is 1. A holder consisting of an elastic body with an opening and a contracted slit leading therefrom across one edge of the body, and a spring embedded in the elastic body and concealed from view by the sides thereof and servingto normally contract said slit, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A holder consisting of an elastic body having an opening and a contracted slit leading therefrom across one edge of the body, a springembedded in the elastic body and concealed from view by the sides thereof, and provision for connecting to the body a strap, cord, or other object, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A holder consisting of an elastic body with an opening and a contracted slit leading therefrom to one edge of the said body, and a spring embedded in the elastic body and serving to normally contract said slit and extended to the opposite edge of the elastic body to form a loop for its attachment.

, at. The combination, with the elastic body having an opening and contracted opening leading therefrom to one edge of the elastlc body, of the metal spring embedded in the said elastic body and having its ends formed into loops, one upon each side of the opening, as set forth.

5. The combination, with the elastic body formed with opening and contracted slit leading therefrom, of the wire spring embedded therein with its ends formed into loops and its parallel portions extended through the elastic body and connected by a cross-bar arranged at a distance from the end, as set forth.

6. The holder described, consisting of the elastic body provided with hole and slit leading therefrom to one end of the said body. and a wire spring embedded in the said elastic body with its ends formed into eyes, one upon each side of said hole and slit, and its body portion extended through the body and formed with a cross-bar arranged at a distance from the end of the elastic body, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

, EDlVARD L. PERRY.

Witnesses:

L. 0. Thus, W. G. WINANs. 

